Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Did Barnett Shale Drilling Lead To Burleson Woman's Fatal Accident?

On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that a Burleson woman, Megan Porter, 24, died at the scene of where her Chrysler Sebring ran head-on into a tractor trailer, about 5 miles south of Cleburne, on Farm Road 1434.

State troopers arrived at the wreck at 7:20 pm, Monday.

There was no mention made in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram regarding what the tractor trailer was hauling or why it was on a Farm Road.

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday, June 23, 2009, the Cleburne Times-Review reported that on Monday, the same day as the fatal wreck, Johnson County Commissioners voted to close County Road 426 to truck traffic. The closed section runs from County Road 317 to Farm-to Market Road 3136, in an area known as the Midway Community, where about 25 families live.

An area resident was quoted as saying, "We’re asking the commissioners to eliminate the gas-related water trucks from using the road as a cut through to the highway. It’s a danger to the residents; the road wasn’t built to handle that kind of traffic; and the damage is going to cause the county to spend more money to repair the road.”

Another area resident told the commissioners he had counted 36 trucks traveling the road from 7 - 8:30 a.m. Monday. The resident said, “Some were going the speed limit; some were not. I’ve been challenged by trucks several times. There’s no shoulder to speak of to pull off on.”

Another resident, living at the end of the road, said gas-well trucks use the road to access a well site and frequently back up onto his property to turn around.

There was no mention made in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article regarding gas-well truck danger leading to Johnson County road closures.

And there was no mention made in the Cleburne Times-Review article on road closures regarding the fatal head on collision between a truck and a car in Johnson County.

As Megan's father, I find the inclusion of a wreck photo, whether real or not, to be grossly out of bounds and incredibly insensitive. I don't know what effect you were going for. Bad judgement.

As for Megan, the final DPS report suggests that she hit a patch of lime deposited on the road from the lime trucks who enter the road about a 1/4 of a mile from the scene. She was not speeding, so end that speculation right now. According to the DPS the lime is like hitting ice, with little or no control.

I don't understand why industrial traffic was allowed on this road? We don't know what happened on that evening but there were lime deposits - Megan was wearing a seatbelt and there is no evidence at all that she was speeding.

She was a great wit, raconteur, singer and photographer who was loved by so many on Twitter and beyond. We love and miss you Megan - Rest in Peace.